Police: Distracted driver caused crash

Three adults and a child were sent to the hospital after a car flipped on its roof on Dixon Boulevard Wednesday.

The crash happened around 5:15 p.m.

Two Mazdas were traveling east near Shelby Plaza Shopping Center when they collided.

Police say Kimberly Kreuzman was driving in the right lane at 60 mph when she looked down to take off her shoes. The 27-year-old Charlotte woman began to veer into the left lane and rear-ended a car going around 40 mph, said Sgt. R.P. Ivey with Shelby Police.

The white Mazda in front of Kreuzman flipped on its roof and landed in the median. There were no skid marks to indicate Kreuzman had time to react before the crash, Ivey said.

A man driving in the opposite direction pulled over and helped an 11-year-old boy who was injured in the backseat of the overturned car.

The child, who was not wearing a seat belt, was the most seriously injured out of the four people in the car, Ivey said. All were taken to Carolinas HealthCare System-Cleveland. The boy was listed in stable condition Thursday afternoon.

Kreuzman was not injured, Ivey said. She was issued a citation for failure to reduce speed.

Traffic was stopped in the eastbound lanes for nearly an hour as officers worked to investigate and reroute traffic. All four lanes of the highway were blocked for a short period of time while the scene was cleared.

Dixon Boulevard is 55 mph through much of Shelby with traffic lights at various intersections. It's important that drivers, especially during rush hour traffic, be aware and pay attention, Ivey said.

"I would tell people to increase their following distance and pay attention to the road. Don't text. Don't talk on the phone. Make sure you're attentive to what you're doing," he said.

Diane Turbyfill can be reached at 704-669-3334 and dturbyfill@shelbystar.com.